Senate bill seeks expedited COVID-19 vaccine procurement

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, along with other senators, has proposed Senate Bill 2057, the COVID-19 Vaccination Program Act of 2021, to expedite vaccine procurement.

The bill allows local government units and private entities to directly procure vaccines within a tripartite mechanism involving the Department of Health (DOH) and the National Task Force Against Covid-19.

On February 16, Senator Sonny Angara sponsored the bill in the Senate plenary, seeking its swift approval to authorize the DOH and NTF to undertake negotiated procurement of vaccines and ancillary supplies.

The proposed act also establishes a P500-million indemnity fund and permits LGUs to purchase up to 50% of their target population's vaccine needs, with this cap adjustable by the IATF based on supply availability.